A pageant Queen’s toothy smile appeared on Tessa’s face, and her eyes danced joyfully under her widow’s peak. While she waved and winked at the guests like her father taught her as she crossed the ballroom, she cursed them through her teeth. “I hope you all choke.”
Like a strong wind gust on the calmest day, some unseen force pulled at her face and compelled her to look to her left. The Fate’s can be cruel, and when she refused their command, the scorned masters of her universe sent a dull ache to her chest as punishment.
With hands balled into fists as she sat down, she tried to resist the whispers from her demon that begged to claim what belonged to her until her father’s voice overrode them. He chuckled against her cheek as he kissed it. “That was fantastic. You’re better than one of those human politicians.”
She shuddered with an icy splash of nerves as the pounding in her chest grew stronger. The prickly tickle of eyes teased her skin, and she did her best to ignore the weighty draw that kept begging for her attention.
These last few weeks, she proclaimed to anyone who might mention the upcoming matchmaking ball how she thought the idea of mates to be archaic and silly. The way her body responded, however, let her know he was there somewhere watching.
The always fearless predator was, at last, someone’s prey, and a thrilling sensation of fear and anticipation at possibly being caught wrapped itself around her.
While she shook her head at whatever was calling her and how easily she veered from her own convictions, Tessa sipped a drink of water and placed the glass back on the table. “Calm the hell down; you’re supposed to be in charge.”
“Would you like to dance, Sugar?” Jasper kneeled beside her and held her hand in his smoothly manicured fingers. “Let me show you off for a few more minutes, and you can disappear. Alright?”
A less than enthusiastic, tight-lipped grin spread across her mouth as she nodded. “Sure, Daddy.”
With her tiny hand in his, he led her to the dance floor until a towering, dark presence blocked their path. “Jasper Mason, it’s my honor to meet you at last.” The tall, black-haired man held out his hand and offered a captivating smile like a forked-tongue preacher begging for a dollar. “Thank you for inviting us.”
Like the oldest of friends, Jasper grasped the wizard’s hand and returned his phony expression. “Mr. Idrissi. Welcome to Savannah. We’re so thrilled that you decided to come be part of all this.”
The insanely handsome wizard tipped his head in respect as he smiled down at her. “This must be Tessa. She’s even more beautiful than everyone said she would be.”
“Yes, she is.” With his hand on her back, Jasper nudged her closer. “Tess, this is Mr. Omar Idrissi; his family just arrived here from Morocco this week.”
The stranger snatched her hand as if it belonged to him and kissed the back. “It is a pleasure to meet such a lovely young woman. Happy Birthday, little one.”
A tingly sizzle crept up her arm from Omar’s hand, and it sent her alarms ablaze as she raised her brow and gave him a quick grin. The warnings from her father about intimidation not forgotten, Tessa gathered her courage before she spoke. “Why, thank you, sir, but I assure you that the pleasure is all mine, Mr. Idrissi.”
The feeling of his hand sliding across her low back sent a skin-crawling tremor down through her nerves as Omar pulled her to his table. “I’d like to introduce you to my youngest son, Rafik. He has been quite eager to meet you all evening.”
The moment she dreaded and hoped for now before her, a million sensations moved through Tessa as her eyes met Rafik’s. Dark brown eyes captivated her as he stepped around the table with the sultriest grin on his face, and it drove a rush through her veins.
With the bending of his fingers, Omar summoned him closer and held out her hand to Rafik as if he was giving him the keys to a whole new world. The spark from his touch made her flinch when their skin met, and her heart fluttered like a hummingbird.
At barely fifteen, the strikingly handsome boy rivaled any Hollywood movie star with his sun-kissed tawny face and black, curly hair. Plump lips that reminded her of a mug of hot cocoa made her imagine taking him somewhere private to find out if they were as sweet.
Breathing across the back of her hand in the most melodic accent she ever had the pleasure of hearing, Rafik’s mouth found her knuckle. “I’m joyous to meet you finally.”
A gentle hum began to rise from her toes, making her pull back her hand and grin to disguise her thoughts, but the breathlessness in her words gave her away. “Likewise, I’m sure.”
Preparing her for every situation he could imagine, her father forgot the one that left her speechless and frozen at that moment. With an expression begging for mercy, she looked up to Jasper and motioned away.
A blind man would have spotted the flush on her face from a mile away, and he put his hand on her shoulder as he came to her rescue. “Well, I promised the birthday girl a dance, so if you’ll excuse us. Have a good time this evening, gentlemen. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to let me know.”
After shaking Omar’s hand again, Jasper placed his palm on Tessa’s back and led her away. If the teenagers’ chemistry was a sign of things to come, his hopes for a truce were pulling together. “Hmm! I believe I saw sparks flying between you and that boy back there.”
She gripped her father’s hand and started moving to the music as an offended scoff shot from her throat. “Don’t you go having any ideas about that, Daddy. It’s nothing.”
While he glanced back to the table, he met Rafik’s smiling face as he rested it on his hand and gazed at her. “Oh, I don’t know, Tess. Don’t be so hasty; sometimes you find love in the most unlikely places.”
A devious smile came to Jasper’s face when he saw the young man stand and straighten his tie as he made his way to them. “Sugar, these things are political. We have to collect all our pieces before we can play the game.”
Bending down to meet her eyes, he reminded her of what they were trying to build here. “You’re going to need powerful allies when you take over, and the Idrissi family has a lot of power; don’t turn your nose up at it. We may need them someday. Besides, they’re the best potion makers on the planet; it would be a smart match for you.”
The weight of the young man’s gravity nearly sucked her from her father’s grasp, and she closed her eyes before hissing through her teeth. “Goddamn, you. Thanks for the warning, you turncoat.”
Like a warm breeze, the soothing voice moved across the back of her neck. “May I dance with your daughter, please?”
“Why, yes, of course, son.” As Rafik slid around to take his place, Jasper put his hand on his shoulder and glanced back to Tessa with a wink. “Have fun, you two.”
Like the smoothest gold-digging Don Juan in all of Savannah, he dropped his hand to the small of her back while his other traveled down her arm, and she melted with his touch despite her mind’s warning. He wrapped his fingers around hers and kissed her hand before he placed it over his heart. “Happy Birthday, Tessa.”
The breath rushed from her mouth as a bashful smile while she glanced down to the floor between them. “Thank you.”
His hot breath graced her cheek as he gazed down at her face and pulled her closer to his chest when the old tune Sleep Walk played. “Do you like this song, Rohi?”
A wave of heat overcame her body, and her cheeks turned the most beautiful shade of golden-pink as her icy persona evaporated into the air that surrounded them.
His eyes shimmered with a hint of amber as she stared into them, and it was almost like someone else spoke through her the way the truth fell from her habitually untruthful tongue. “Yes, I love it. I even hear it in my dreams sometimes.”
While his dark eyes darted back and forth between hers, he smiled as the words dripped from his perfect mouth like the most tempting poison ever concocted. “That’s because this is our song; the Fates had them make it for you and me.”
The dreamy trance of his voice ensnared her, and every argument she made escaped her now. “They did?”
“Yes, I’m sure of it.” Staring into the jewels of her eyes, his breathy voice hitched out the words that would forever haunt her as he adored his beloved and fell deeper under her wiles. “Whenever you hear it, know that I’m thinking of you.”
The humid night air in Savannah offered little relief for Tessa as she stood in the dark corner of the balcony.Held hostage in Rafik’s arms for three songs, her hands still wiggled with a life of their own as she drew a drag of one of her father’s Marlboro’s.A familiar raspy, Norwegian voice came to her ears as he snatched the cigarette from her fingers. “Don’t you know those things will kill you, Tess?”The handsome, blonde man took a puff and handed it back to her as he blew out smoke from the side of his mouth.His ridiculous warning made her roll her eyes as she took another drag. They were both immortal creatures, and the only thing that would ever kill her was a hefty dose of bloody violence. “You first, you old bastard.”A throaty cackle echoed through the street below as she glanced back over and laughed at him while she took in the spectacle of a thousand-year-old Viking in a well-tailored
The incoming arrival’s whistle pierced through the wobbly reality of the mansion, making way for the brilliant spark to punch through. A foul blast of brimstone swept from the portal then through the calm, checkered foyer, warning all who dwelled there that the fiery twins had returned.A wicked, squealing wind wailed in their ears as the house built up around them again, block by block. When the black-and-white floor rose to meet the slick bottom of her shoes, the breath of life rushed into Tessa’s lungs again. “Move!”She pushed away from Teddy’s grasp, and the clicks of her heels were like a hundred tiny horses galloping across the foyer as she raced to the mirror.While he shook the moist remains of his mist away from his hands, Teddy pointed his finger at his sister. “You know, our parents spent the evening planning your future with that boy, Tessa. For a girl who doesn’t believe in being fated to someone, you sure
The smoke-filled parlor was sticky with the smell of Haldir’s cigar and more than a few beer bottles littering the card table. Staring down the greatest poker player he ever met, he threw in his stack of money. “So, tell me about Mr. Lover Boy, Tess. He seemed like a sweet kid. What’s his name?”While she examined her hand of cards, she glanced up over them to the blue-eyed immortal. “Well, if you must know, you damn busy body, it’s Rafik Idrissi.”“Idrissi? You got to be shitting me.” While Jasper drew two more and gave them to her, Haldir glared at him. “How in the fuck did this come about?”His disapproving eyes narrowed and warned Haldir to hold his tongue. “Those days are behind us. All those ancient rivalries need to end. It’s in all our best interest to negotiate this thing in good faith.”Her suspicious eyes glanced back and forth between the two of them as Teddy l
“I don’t have a good feeling about this.” With her hand on her belly, Isabelle rubbed at the little one trying to get her attention while they strolled down Jones Street.The waning moon glowed red in the sky above her as the thunder started in the distance, setting her psychic tendencies abuzz in prickly alarms that rose from her arms.As he peeked behind him to make sure the children were out of earshot, Jasper agreed. “No, I don’t like any of this either, but I don’t believe he would hurt his son’s mate, especially not in his own home.”With the brick mansion of her ancient enemy coming up before them, she rolled her teary eyes away. “She’s too young.”He slid his arm around her and pulled her into his side. “She’s not getting hitched anytime soon, baby. We’re stuck with that smart mouth for at least another decade. Shit! That boy may change his mind about the whole thi
A whistle soaked in the stench of sulfur fell from the air in the foyer as the black ball of mist spread out like little fingers in every direction. As it faded away, the only thing that remained was Teddy with Tessa tucked tight against him. “I got you. We made it.”The feverish hands tugged at his chest when they balled his shirt in them. A shrill whimper built at the back of Tessa’s throat as her fat bottom lip quivered. “They killed them.”He gritted his teeth and blinked up to the ceiling to halt the sting of tears and hide them from her. They were twin flames, and when one lost control, the other followed along until the spark became an Armageddon.With his hands on her shoulders, he bent down to look into her eyes. “Go grab our bugout bags and meet me right here. Find Momma and Daddy’s too. Go on! Be quick.”When he heard her little feet start beating against the stairs, he rubbed his neck and took a
The dark mist cleared into the night that surrounded him in little specks of charred coals as Teddy scanned the poorly lit parking lot and the rain poured down over them. “Alright, Tess. We’re here. You’re going to be okay now.”Like he was on the road to deliverance from the nightmare they found themselves immersed in, he staggered across the parking lot towards the emergency department sign. “Third, you’re Sean and Sara Osulf now. Your father is Howard. Sean and Sara Osulf, your father is Howard.”For being so petite, she was like a floppy, wet sack of hundred-pound potatoes the way her limbs flailed around as he walked.He tried to keep hold as he gritted his teeth, then stopped and tossed her up in the air. “It’s okay. I got you. Had to move you around a little; you’re slippery as hell.”The blast of air that beat down on them when they came through the automatic doors splattered her bl
The bed dipped down as Haldir shoved his knee on it, and he lowered Tessa on the sheet. After he covered her shoulders with the blanket, he glanced at Teddy as he sat on the edge of the bed facing the wall. “Have you been able to reach her yet?”The crushing sensation began in his head and radiated through his body as Teddy’s mind got sucked into a dark room.On the edge of that cliff she always teetered on, Tessa stared over the side as she swung back and forth and hummed out a song he couldn’t place. After he snapped his fingers in front of her, he tapped on her shoulder. “Are you done yet, Tess?”He blinked out of his trance when she didn’t answer him and shook his head no. “I can see her now, but she isn’t ready to talk yet.” His back jerked as he huffed out his mouth and shook his head. “You’re not going to believe this shit, but I think she’s dancing.”Haldir pushed
In the darkness of the bedroom that surrounded him, Haldir tried to drift off to sleep. Teddy said a spell of protection over the thin, wooden door, but he didn’t trust the warlock’s skill yet.Once he relaxed enough to let his mind wander in the celestial plane, he envisioned Tessa in his mind. Not the little girl that laid beside her brother in the other bed as weak and helpless as the day she was born, but the one she was meant to be.She glowed as bright as the angry sun on the hottest day as she walked through the fields of her enemies and cackled in her witchy way as she laid them all to waste.Dreadful and beautiful, the oldest of warlocks bowed down before Tessa in reverence as they witnessed her carnage. The Queen of Ruin returned, and even the devil himself feared her.He squinted through the flames and black smoke as he followed her and her beasts through the field of war-torn bodies until he noticed a familiar form on horseback in